Shake Your Moneymaker

Until all those new high-rise condos are completed in SoMa, the Financial District still has the market cornered on SF skyscrapers—the Transamerica Pyramid and Bank of America Tower practically define our skyline. And though the neighborhood is known primarily as the home of corporate headquarters, all those white collars have made it synonymous with something else: great food and drink. After all, investment bankers need to eat (not to mention wind down after all those deals). So it’s no wonder you find well-loved standards like Aqua and Tadich Grill in the area. And the watering holes are about to get busier. High-tech companies are moving back downtown after fleeing SF during the dot-com bust: Vacancy rates are down, commercial rents are up and, last year, Yahoo was among several Peninsula companies gobbling up square footage.Rumor even has it that Google is in talks with Gap Inc. to sublet three floors of the clothing giant’s headquarters overlooking the Embarcadero. Looks to us like FiDi is back.

Lunch

Lunch hour in the Financial District can feel like the running of the bulls—if you don’t have a set destination, it’s easy to get swept away. The area’s biggest noontime hub is Crocker Galleria, where a dozen eateries coexist. Our favorite is Leila, no more than a to-go counter, where you can get some of the city’s finest authentic Persian kabobs over saffron rice. Also check out the recently renovated Medicine, which is still pushing healthy Japanese cuisine at its streamlined “eat stations.” It’s recently added new noodle, rice and seafood dishes to its menu. At Metro Crêpes, healthy ingredients get the Parisian treatment in the form of a dozen savory and a dozen sweet varieties of crepe. Everyone should try Fatt Dog’s namesake all-beef wiener, but our personal choice is the German frankfurter—a beef-pork combo made with fresh garlic. The bright colors and glowing lights of Julie’s Kitchen on Montgomery welcome those who want a bit of everything—the by-the-pound food bar offers not just salad but also daily specials such as filet mignon, seared ahi, ribs and salmon. For simple but deliciously innovative sandwiches and salads, Working Girls’ Cafe on Kearny consistently delivers. Try the blackened red snapper with chile-lime salsa, avocado, spring greens and mayo on a toasted soft roll. Just a stone’s throw from the Transamerica Pyramid, 7 Pleasures offers the oddly enjoyable combination of organic Thai and homemade Russian goodies, such as pork-stuffed pierogi. And don’t forget the organic lunch places we featured in April’s issue (go to "Fast-Food Nation" to see the list again).

Top: Fatt Dog’s got two financial district locations. Middle: Leila’s Kabobs: SF ’s best to-go Persian. Bottom: Working Girls’ Cafe.

Happy Hour

We all know what it really means when the closing bell dings—time for a pint. Three pubs representing three European countries coexist at Front and Halleck. The oldest is the German Schroeder’s, which offers an impressive selection of Deutschland brew on tap, including the rare Kostritzer and König Ludwig. Across the street at English/Irish Royal Exchange, 32 different beers and ciders await; we suggest the hard-to-find Magners cider. It can get pretty rowdy, so if you’re lucky enough to grab a high-back wooden booth, hold onto it. When you need that pint of Guinness, head next door to Harrington’s, family-run since 1935. Its mostly Irish staff make for a sociable atmo. Down Mark Lane at the Irish Bank, take your Smithwick’s outside to the alley, which is lined with street signs and vintage ads straight from the Emerald Isle. For those who’d rather have it shaken or stirred, there’s Voda on charming, jam-packed Belden Lane, with more than 100 varieties of vodka to choose from and a bartender who makes personalized cocktails. A few doors down, Café Bastille is the place to practice your French while you sip a Soleil, made with Ricard, fresh mint, lime and soda.

Left: Café Bastille on euro-chic Belden Lane. Right: And the bustling Irish Bank on Mark Lane.

Dinner

Since opening last fall next door to perennial favorites Aqua and Tadich Grill, Perbacco has been hopping every night of the week, thanks to chef/owner Staffan Terje’s Piedmontese and Ligurian specialties and killer house-made pasta. Italy rules at Palio d’Asti as well, where the menu runs from classic Roman dishes such as fried artichokes to spiedini with Sicilian olive sauce. Across from the Transamerica Pyramid, the Roman theme continues with newcomer Chiaroscuro, where minimalist decor meets homemade Italian fare (try the bucatini all’amatriciana) and heartfelt service. If Paris is more your speed, Jeanty at Jack’s is as authentic as bistros come: Think coq au vin, steak frites and sole meunière. The decadent decor frames the lush Pacific Rim entrées at Silks, in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel—we recommend the lobster and shellfish tom yum noodles with coconut-lemongrass sauce. Traditional American food is what you’ll find at Perry’s, along with a bar full of regulars who snap up free hot wings when the clock strikes five on weekdays. And if you’re shopping at the Embarcadero Center, you’ll be happy that ever-popular Osha Thai opened its fourth location here in October, complete with the usual delicious riffs on Thai classics (volcanic beef, anyone?).

Top: Palio d'Asti's tuna with spring veggies. Bottom: The food's the thing at Jeanty at Jack's.